oligomer
Few-unit molecular chain
An oligomer is a molecule made of a small number of repeating units, typically between two and about twenty.
The term sits between monomer (single unit) and polymer (many units).
Oligomers appear frequently in biochemistry—short chains of amino acids, nucleotides, or sugars: DNA oligomers are used as primers in genetic testing.
In materials science, oligomers serve as intermediate products in polymer synthesis.
Folded amino chain
- nucleotideGenetic code subunit
- peptideShort amino acid chain
- carbohydrateSugar or starch compound
- amyloidCross-beta protein aggregate
prion · fibril · histone · tubulin · actin · hemoglobin · collagen · insulin
Part of larger entity
- chainLinked segments forming length
- ringClosed curve shape
- linearArranged in straight succession
- cyclicRepeating in sequence
branched · assembly · conformation · quaternary · stoichiometry · arrangement
Monomers bonding into chains
- catalystAgent enabling change
- initiatorOne who starts something
- condensationVapor turning to liquid
- additionJoining quantities mathematically
propagation · termination · nucleation · template · polymerase · kinetics · mechanism · yield
Total mass of atoms
- aggregationCombined collection of items
- self-assemblySpontaneous structural organization
- bindingLegally or morally required
- stabilityResistance to displacement
solubility · viscosity · intermediate · transition · equilibrium · dissociation · association
protein
Folded amino chain
- nucleotideGenetic code subunit
- peptideShort amino acid chain
- carbohydrateSugar or starch compound
amyloid · prion · fibril · histone · tubulin · actin · hemoglobin · collagen · insulin · chaperone
subunit
Part of larger entity
cyclic · branched · assembly · conformation · quaternary · stoichiometry · arrangement
polymerization
Monomers bonding into chains
- catalystAgent enabling change
- initiatorOne who starts something
- condensationVapor turning to liquid
addition · propagation · termination · nucleation · template · polymerase · kinetics · mechanism · yield · coupling
molecular weight
Total mass of atoms
- aggregationCombined collection of items
- self-assemblySpontaneous structural organization
- bindingLegally or morally required
stability · solubility · viscosity · intermediate · transition · equilibrium · dissociation · association
oligomerpolymer
Large repeated-unit molecule
macromolecule · monomer · polypeptide · polyethylene · polysaccharide
polymer, dimer, monomer, trimer, polymeric, polymerize, hexamer